Heroic: Difference between revisions
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==Overview== | ==Overview== | ||
In [[medicine]], '''heroic''' refers to a treatment or course of therapy which possesses a high risk of causing further damage to a patient's health, but is undertaken as a | In [[medicine]], '''heroic''' refers to a treatment or course of therapy which possesses a high risk of causing further damage to a patient's health, but is undertaken as a last resort with the understanding that any lesser treatment will surely result in failure. <ref>''"The American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary"'', 2nd Edition, 2004, Houghton Mifflin Company</ref> | ||
Heroic measures are often taken in cases of grave injury or illness, as a last-ditch attempt to save life, limb, or eyesight. Examples include [[surgical emergency|emergency trauma surgery]] conducted outside the [[operating room]] (such as "on-scene" [[amputation|surgical amputation]], [[cricothyroidotomy]], or [[thoracotomy]]), or administration of [[medication]] (such as certain [[antibiotics]] and [[chemotherapy]] drugs) at dosage levels high enough to potentially cause serious or fatal [[side effects]].<ref> ''Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary'', 3rd Edition, Merriam-Webster, Inc.</ref><ref>''"Heroic Measures"'', Dr. Charles Bardes M.D, AGNI Online Essays, [http://www.bu.edu/agni/essays-reviews/online/2006/bardes-heroicmeasures.html] </ref> | Heroic measures are often taken in cases of grave injury or illness, as a last-ditch attempt to save life, limb, or eyesight. Examples include [[surgical emergency|emergency trauma surgery]] conducted outside the [[operating room]] (such as "on-scene" [[amputation|surgical amputation]], [[cricothyroidotomy]], or [[thoracotomy]]), or administration of [[medication]] (such as certain [[antibiotics]] and [[chemotherapy]] drugs) at dosage levels high enough to potentially cause serious or fatal [[side effects]].<ref> ''Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary'', 3rd Edition, Merriam-Webster, Inc.</ref><ref>''"Heroic Measures"'', Dr. Charles Bardes M.D, AGNI Online Essays, [http://www.bu.edu/agni/essays-reviews/online/2006/bardes-heroicmeasures.html] </ref> | ||
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[[Category:Intensive care medicine]] | [[Category:Intensive care medicine]] | ||
[[Category:Traumatology]] | [[Category:Traumatology]] | ||
[[Category:Medical emergencies]] | [[Category:Medical emergencies]] | ||
{{WH}} | {{WH}} | ||
{{WikiDoc Sources}} | {{WikiDoc Sources}} | ||
Revision as of 18:19, 23 January 2009
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WikiDoc Resources for Heroic |
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Evidence Based Medicine |
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Clinical Trials |
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Ongoing Trials on Heroic at Clinical Trials.gov Clinical Trials on Heroic at Google
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Guidelines / Policies / Govt |
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US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Heroic
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Books |
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Commentary |
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Definitions |
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Patient Resources / Community |
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Directions to Hospitals Treating Heroic Risk calculators and risk factors for Heroic
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Healthcare Provider Resources |
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Continuing Medical Education (CME) |
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International |
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Business |
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Experimental / Informatics |
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Overview
In medicine, heroic refers to a treatment or course of therapy which possesses a high risk of causing further damage to a patient's health, but is undertaken as a last resort with the understanding that any lesser treatment will surely result in failure. [1]
Heroic measures are often taken in cases of grave injury or illness, as a last-ditch attempt to save life, limb, or eyesight. Examples include emergency trauma surgery conducted outside the operating room (such as "on-scene" surgical amputation, cricothyroidotomy, or thoracotomy), or administration of medication (such as certain antibiotics and chemotherapy drugs) at dosage levels high enough to potentially cause serious or fatal side effects.[2][3]
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a particularly well-known heroic measure; vigorous chest compressions often result in fracturing one or more of the patient's ribs, but since the alternative is certain death, the technique is accepted as necessary.